Friday, August 15, 2008

Patients and patience

Valerie and I had the rare pleasure, as of late, to sit and talk last night (ok...a date night, but first we did have to go grocery shopping) and she shared with me an interesting story of a patient.

He apparantly came a few years ago for an eye exam. Valerie noted that he was a diabetic who was not controlling his sugar levels. She noted no apparent diabetic retinopathy. He came back this week after getting hit in the eye. He assumed getting hit was the cause of his decreased vision. He actually had a nice cataract. Valerie was unable to see the retina of that eye...but could in the other, and he had diabetic retinopathy now.

Valerie "Have you been controlling your sugar?"Patient "I have been taking herbs. You know, too many people end up taking too much medicine for that, so I have been taking herbs...much better.Valerie "Do you know what your sugar is?"Patient "Uh, I have not had it checked for a year"Valerie (long conversation putting the fear of God into the patient...in terms of his vision and the threat there from the diabetes...and then asking him if he was sure where he was going after life on this world ends)Patient "I hope to go to Heaven.....I guess I will have my blood work done right now"

Results? Blood sugar was 300. And just as a side note, tryglicerides? They were 500. Those herbs must have been past their expiration date I presume.

Levi also talked with him about his future (immediate and eternal) without knowing Valerie had also been talking to him.

The changes he needs to implement, as well as his eternal home, are out of our control. They did what they could to impact him and plant seeds. Only time will tell what happens. Hopefully he will not waste any more money on home remedies...for his diabetes, and for his sin.